Movie Review: Bourne Ultimatum

With the classic direction of Paul Greengrass and with Matt Damon as the lead character, Bourne Ultimatum is one of the best action movies I've seen in a long time. Jason Bourne is a CIA operative, double crossed by the very agency he has chosen to work for.

His memory is lost and comes back to him periodically in flashes. He is back, taking on the CIA to find out the truth about his past and to find out who he really is. Bourne Ultimatum is a classic cat and mouse game spread across Russia, New York City, London, Madrid and Tangiers as the hunted agent soon becomes the hunter taking on the establishment.

There is a rooftop chase in Tagiers that is riveting and a triumph of technology. The movie features some of the best chases and fights I've seen in a long time. Though I would not call the camera work perfection(It was a little too shaky at times.), the filmography is excellent.

Though it is based on the novel by Robert Ludlum by the same name, it departs from the story in plot and location. There is no mention of Carlos the Jackal, the person Bourne must kill in the Ludlum version.

Rumor has it that the new Bond movie steals heavily from this movie. I'll know and share more on that subject when I see the Born film. In the meantime, I'd recommend Bourne Ultimatum to all action movie lovers.

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Movie Review: Syriana

Syriana is a riveting thriller starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, Christopher Plummer and a terrific supporting cast. It is expertly directed by Stephan Gaghan.  The movie is a collage of multiple, intertwined plots all relating to the petroleum industry. 

One is the tale of a Pakistani father and son, toiling at a refinery to fulfill their dreams. Another plot  is of a CIA agent Barnes(Clooney) who is penalized by his own government, first for whistle blowing on an illegal arms deal  and then for doing his job in trying to carry out an assassination plot. 

Then there is  the story of Woodman(Damon), an energy expert who tries to work out a mutually beneficial deal  between the US and a Middle Eastern Country through a visionary prince Nasir, who is pro modernism in his country.

Finally, there is the tale of ruthless executives of an American Oil corporation, trying to make an unscrupulous deal with Nasir's brother, who is not for modernization and wished to continue the existing form of rule in his country.

 

All of these plots come together at the end, to make an explosive, unexpected set of endings. This form of cinema with multiple related plots, reminiscent of movies like 'Short Cuts' and 'Traffic' has aptly been named 'Hyperlink Cinema' by Roger Ebert. It takes ingenious editing and expert direction to create a masterpiece like this one. 

Enhanced by its  stellar cast, Syriana is a memorable movie, and will stand the test of time as a classic. The flick picked up two well deserved Oscars in 2005, one for screenplay and one for best supporting actor(Clooney). If you have not seen it yet, go ahead and rent it.

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Movie Review: The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd is yet another classic that missed the blockbuster boat at the box office.  With Damon and Jolie in the lead and Robert De Niro as it's director, the movie features a plethora of great stars including Alec Baldwin, John Turturro, De Niro and Joe Pesci. 

It is the story of Edward Wilson, a patriot who is inducted into an elite society to serve his country. Edward must make difficult choices to fulfill his role. He must choose between his love and being a gentleman. he must choose between his duty and taking the life of one he respects. Then he must decide between protecting his own and his duty to the country.

Damon gives an awesome performance as the stoic Wilson and Jolie portrays his neglected wife to perfection. The ploy moves continuously between past and present and moves from the US to London to Berlin and finally to Africa. 

It captures several events of the cold war, including the Bay of Pigs, which it somewhat controversially claims failed, because one of our own operatives betrayed us. It takes us to Berlin and the race by the US and Russia to get the best of Hitler's Scientists. It also shows the formation of the CIA where Wilson would serve his country.

There were some scenes of torture that were hard to watch but were very necessary for this well conceived plot. DeNiro originally intended to make this movie a trilogy like the Godfather. I hope that the poor box office results do not change his mind. This movie is a must see for all spy movie buffs. It is more than a spy thriller and is one of the most important Historical movies of our time, give or take a few poetic licenses.

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